More than one in three Coloradans younger than 65 have lacked health insurance in the past two years, according to a new report by Families USA.
The report by the Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group calculates that 1.44 million Coloradans – 34.2 percent of those younger than 65 – will have had no health insurance for at least part of 2006-07.
More than half lacked or will have lacked insurance for nine months or more, according to the study.
“This alarm has been going off for a while, and we’ve been ignoring it – we really cannot do that anymore,” said Denise de Percin, executive director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative.
“We need to do something systemic and bold and practical that’s really going to start making some real changes,” de Percin said.
The Families USA report, released Thursday, excluded people 65 and older, who are eligible for Medicare federal health insurance.
The Families USA analysis, which was based on U.S. census data and projections, found:
Four of five uninsured people in the country were in working families.
Almost 71 percent worked full time, another 8.7 percent part time.
Of the total 89.6 million uninsured nationwide, 35 percent were ages 25 to 44.
African-Americans and Latinos were more likely to be uninsured than non-Latino whites.
“The huge number of people without health coverage over the past two years helps to explain why health care has become the top domestic issue in the 2008 presidential campaign,” said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA.
In Colorado, the focus is now on a blue-ribbon panel called the 208 Commission, de Percin said.
The commission was charged by the legislature last year with developing five proposals for health-insurance reform in Colorado.
“This report confirms the interest of our legislature, the governor and everyday Coloradans that the insurance issue is a priority,” de Percin said.
Edie Sonn, spokeswoman for the 208 Commission, said more important than the report’s numbers are their implications.
“It’s the cost shift that comes about when people go without insurance for any amount of time – and they have a crisis,” Sonn said.
“You and I with health insurance pay that hidden tax.”
In January, the 208 Commission will send a report to the legislature, outlining the panel’s preferred concept of health care reform, and providing lawmakers with information on all five proposals under assessment.
“We won’t be able to solve this with a wave of our hands,” Sonn said, “but we’re moving the ball forward.”
Staff writer Katy Human can be reached at 303-954-1910 or khuman@denverpost.com.
34%
Coloradans under age 65 without health insurance in 2006-07
4 of 5
Uninsured people nationally who were in working families
71%
Uninsured people nationally who worked full time
35%
Uninsured nationally who were ages 25 to 44
